CO129-563-18 Sino-Japanese War- stopping of British shipping by Japanese 11-9-1937 - 29-12-1937 — Page 145

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]

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From JAPAN.

36

Decode.

Sir R. Craigie (Tokyo).

23th September, 1937.

D.

2.50 p.m., 28th September, 1957.

R.

Noon, 28th September, 1937,

No. 456.

(K).

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146

Ministry of Marine informed Naval Attaché today of diffi-

culties Japanese destroyers had experienced in stopping British

steamer Chahsan off Wenchan during night of September 24th.

Naval Attaché replied that this may have been due to

absence of any night signalling organisation in smaller ships.

It transpired during the conversation that Ministry of Marine had not yet received from Ministry of Foreign Affairs conditions

laid down in your telegram ilo. 345 (which were however com-

municated to Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 25th).

Naval Attaché reiterated that we did not admit they had

any right to seek information as to port of departure,

destination, cargo etc. of British ships and that we agreed

only to verify nationality.

Ministry of Marine said that information as to destina-

tion if given would minimise chances of ship being stopped

a second time. There is force in this.

Addressed to Foreign Office; repeated to Nanking,

Commander-in-Chief, Commodore Hongkong.